Appreciatin Beauty
by forgetablelove
Summary: Rukia takes Ichigo somewhere to teach him a very important lesson.


Ichigo watched Rukia fall.

When she landed gracefully on her feet, he let out a breath of relief that he hadn't realized he had been holding.

Rukia turned and looked up at him, a smile lightening up her face. "Are you coming or not?"

He nodded slowly, jumping down beside her. The jump was not as far as it looked, but seeing her slice through the sky had made him hold his breath for some reason.

"Come on," she said, taking off in a run.

"A Hallow?" he asked, running beside her.

"No."

"Training?"

"No."

He stopped, grabbing her arm.

"What?" she asked, annoyed.

Ichigo was suddenly acutely aware of how close she was. His hand was still on her arm and he could feel her body heat. He swallowed hard, knowing he should know why it was suddenly so important to him, but he was still uncertain. Dropping her arm, he asked in her in a low voice, "Where are we going then?"

She smiled at him. "Come on and see." Finally free, she took off again.

Sighing with frustration, he followed her again. This time he stayed behind her, thinking. Her dragging him somewhere when it had nothing to do with a Hallow or training was unusual. They ran through the streets, passing stands and stores, and getting questioning looks from those they passed.

"Rukia?" he called, stopping at an intersection. She swung around, half-way across the street.

"Aren't you coming?" she asked, her voice teeming with excitement over their mysterious destination.

Ichigo looked both ways down the street, no one was coming. Slowly, he followed her. She had a way of pulling him to so what she wanted him to, leading him without having to say a word. Her excitement was enough to make him follow her. They ran down the street for a little while longer before she finally stopped.

He was out of breath and leaned forward, hands on his knees to catch it. "Where are we?" He looked around. The location hit him hard. His eyes wide and shock running through him, he asked Rukia, "Is this the where my mother died?"

Rukia frowned at him, guilt shining her eyes. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring you i here /i exactly. I just..." She trailed off as she walked over to the edge of the water and bent down. When she stood up, she was holding a flower.

"A flower? Are you telling me you like flowers and bunnies?" he asked incredulously.

Rukia threw her shoulders back defensively. "What's wrong with bunnies and flowers?"

He back-paddled, saying curtly, "Nothing, nothing at all." Looking around himself he felt weak. This is where the Grand Fisher had killed his mother, taking her soul instead of his.

Rukia walked to him, holding out the flower. "Take it."

Eying her wearily, he accepted the flower, frowning deeply.

"I'm sure your mother would want you to be happy," Rukia whispered, "Blaming yourself for her death... She wouldn't like that."

"How do you know? You didn't know her. You couldn't possibly know," he shot back, staring at the flower in his hand.

"We have those flowers in the Soul Society. I used to love going to the beach and looking at them." She sighed. "I think your mother would want you to enjoy the beauty of the world around you, in the little things like that flower or the people who care for you."

Ichigo frowned. "You don't know."

Rukia smiled softly. "I'm older than you. I know many things you don't know yet. Appreciating the beauty in the world around you... that's something even you can understand."

Ichigo tensed. "What do you mean even me? Are you calling me dumb?"

"I didn't, but if you say so, I won't disagree."

Ichigo fumed for a moment, glaring at her, but then his eyes drifted to the flower. Glancing up at Rukia uncertainly, he felt strange. I The flower isn't the only thing around here that's beautiful, /i he thought to himself. "You dragged me here to show me a flower?" he asked, irritable.

"No, I dragged you here to teach you a lesson. Have you learned it?"

Ichigo just smiled and turned away, the flower still clutched in his hand.


End file.
